Hon Yama Okawa Shincha

Origin: Okawa, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan 
Cultivar: Sayamakaori 
Harvest: April 29, 2023 
Elevation: 500m 

The Okawa region of Shizuoka lies in the upper stream of the Warashina River. The Zen monk Shoichi Kokushi was born here and introduced tea seeds to the region in 1244. Okawa is one of the most revered and oldest Hon Yama tea producing villages and is also one of the highest elevation tea farming areas here producing rich and deep tasting, aromatic sencha. It is surrounded by dense mountain forests, clear air, pure river streams and natural beauty. Most Hon Yama tea is made with Yabukita, but this batch is from a different cultivar growing in the highest mountain zone of Okawa. We chose a micro-lot made with the Sayamakaori cultivar. Sayamakaori was made by the natural hybridization of Yabukita in Sayama City, Saitama. It became a registered cultivar in 1971. The aroma, taste and infusion color are like Yabukita, but the tea leaf of Sayamakaori is thicker and contains more total tannin, which results in a brisk and dense flavor with a deeper aroma when compared to Yabukita. When the fresh leaves are withering, a distinctive aroma emerges from Sayamakaori that is bright and clear. The infusion color glows golden and is vibrant.

Add 6g tea to a small (150ml/5oz) kyusu teapot. 
Use water cooled to 170°F. 
Infuse for 45 seconds and decant. 
Repeat for another 1-2 infusions for 15 seconds.